Sheriff: Woman hired hitman

Police aren't sharing many details about what landed Deanna Michelle Pruitt behind bars. But they do say Pruitt tried to have someone killed for money.

Cleveland County Sheriff Alan Norman said Pruitt, 42, offered "in excess" of $1,000 to hire someone to kill a person with whom she had a long-standing dispute.

Additional information about the alleged would-be victim, including their gender, was not shared with The Star.

Pruitt, of Shelby, is charged with solicitation to commit first-degree murder.

Pruitt visited the sheriff’s office on Friday expressing concern that the person she hired may have been a police informant, according to a sheriff's office press release.

“During our investigation, (Pruitt) came to the sheriff’s office and confessed what she attempted to do during the interview,” Norman said. “She came forth because apparently she had a bit of a conscience and was concerned law enforcement had discovered her attempt.”

After the interview, Pruitt was arrested and charged. She remained jailed Monday with no bond.

The investigation on Pruitt began in June when an informant said he had been solicited by Pruitt, according to the sheriff's office.

Investigating cases of this nature is uncommon, Norman said.

“This shows she didn’t value life for another individual,” Norman said. “There is no reason for a crime of this caliber to ever happen anywhere.”

Reach Jessica Pickens at 704-669-3332, at jpickens@shelbystar.com or on Twitter @StarJPickens.